The massive oil spill of 2010 devastated more than just the environment with detrimental consequences to the ecosystem. In communities up and down the coast lives have been devastated through loss of employment in industries ranging from fishing to tourism and all supporting services that go with it. Even with all the billions of Dollars in fines paid by BP, the ordinary man and woman out of work have had to struggle practically alone.

One of the heartbreaking stories I have had personal experience with is my brother Jason. As a 28-year-old man with a wife and two young kids, he had been building a pretty successful little business for himself. He completed welding training after high school and started working odd jobs along the coast. He quickly realized that the fishing industry required welding services at during hours that most other welders in the area were still asleep.

He took out a small business loan and within 12 months had a thriving business that was supporting his family. The oil spill put a drastic end to that. As fishing boats were no longer heading out to sea as much there was less need for repairs and practically overnight Jason’s business plummeted.

The two guys he was employing had to be laid off and within 6 months work had dried up so much that he could no longer keep the business running. Today, Jason no longer lives on the Gulf coast and he has to constantly travel with his family to find the next welding contracts.

But Jason’s experience is not isolated. I have also heard of countless cleaning and catering companies that have shut down with hundreds of job losses. The reason is that hotels and other tourism related services like restaurants and theme parks are no longer seeing the same numbers of tourists.

The same goes for all the countless food supply services and small and large hotels. Many hotels in my area have had close down over the past few years because especially fishing tourism has completely collapsed. And who can blame the tourists? Why would you come to the gulf coast when there are so many other options available that do not have the same pollution and health risks?

While the initial focus was rightly on the cleanup process it seems to many remaining residents that they have been completely ignored in the plight that they have and still are suffering. Job losses have been in the tens of thousands and there really is no end in sight. In my opinion there should be far more investment in tourism using the billions in fines paid by BP.

That money needs to be used to help recover the parts of the economy that indirectly suffered in the aftermath. When the day comes and tourists start returning to our beautiful coastline we need to be prepared. The last thing we want to have happen is that they start arriving and we are not prepared or not able to offer the same level of service as before.

When disaster happens, whether it is natural or man-made, the aftereffects would always be felt for years even after the actual event happened. One can easily see these in typhoon-stricken communities as well as places attacked by particular terrorist groups. These aftereffects can take the form of physical, emotional or even psychological manifestations.

Relative to this, the BP oil spill which happened in 2010 had been reported to still have the effects which can be largely felt in the immediate areas affected until now. The BP oil spill is considered the largest oil spill in the history of the United States. An estimated 200 million gallons of oil were released into the sea for 87 days. It comes with no surprise that the negative effects of this event would persist for five years or more. Despite the efforts of government agencies and non-profit organizations, the problem caused by this event could remain for a long time.

In the years before the spill, there were only about 100 sea turtles found stranded in the area where the oil spill happened. After the spill, this number has shoot up to 500 sea turtles. The sad thing about this is not just the statistics but the fact that majority of these stranded organisms were the Kemp sea turtles, a species already considered to be endangered.

Ill-stricken dolphins

Bottle-nosed dolphins were regulars in the coast of Louisiana which is the most affected area. Ever since the oil spill, there have been about 900 dead dolphins found there. Even if 20 people would go out, armed with the most stable compound bow and bow fish with dolphins as targets, they still would not be able to cause this much deaths among these gentle animals

Truly, the oil spill has a far more damage than just deaths to the dolphins. Even today, dolphins in the area are reported to be underweight and are obviously ill. Given that dolphins are at the top of their own food chain, this particular illness is a glaring indication that the other animals in that food chain could also be sick. The bowfishers may even go out there equipped with the best bow stabilizers and this death rate caused by the spill would still prove to exceed.

Deformities in marine life

Other than the alarming death rates, scientists were also able to observe that the marine life in the affected area has developed deformities. Fishes, corals, and crustaceans were observed and some fishes were found to be suffering from diseases like fin rot and deformities such as hardened or deformed ovaries.

The effects of the BP oil spill will linger far longer. There has to be a constant effort to clean up the whole area from the oil. If action is not done immediately, these deformities and deaths will continue until the next generations and we might actually no longer enjoy these gentle creatures.

The oil spill that took place at the Mexico Gulf in 2010 is so vast that its effects can still be felt until now. Marine life was greatly affected. People who live near the area were also forced to relocate. Livelihoods were lost. If you read more about the aftermath of the said oil spill, you will feel bad that it ever happened. However, it has already happened and the best thing that we can do is to just pick up the broken pieces and clean things up.

Avoid polluting the seas even more

The oil spill has massively messed up the seas, and it’s got to be cleaned up. However, this it is not possible to thoroughly undo the havoc the disaster has caused. Years after the oil spill, the open sea is still dirty or even worse. This is because every day, people throw things into the sea. Hence, instead of cleaning up the mess that the oil spill has brought, we have made things even worse. Though the oil spill happened only in the Mexico Gulf, its effects can be felt around the world. Therefore, if you want to put an end to this, you have to do your share. Take some small steps to lessen pollution.

Organize seashore cleanup drive

Everything starts at the seashore. This is true especially for beaches. The waste that people leave in the shore will eventually be carried into the ocean. This can affect marine life negatively. Therefore, if you organize an activity that will help clean the shores, this can only help free the seas from waste materials.

Join campaigns against environmental terrorists

Environmental terrorism involves people who intentionally damage the environment for their own personal gains. For instance, there are those who manufacture certain products. When they don’t know where else to throw their waste materials, they send ships into the sea and load them with waste. This will then be thrown in the middle of the ocean where no one can see them. The same thing is true for those who want to get more fish. They intentionally drop cyanide and other chemicals, and they don’t just kill the fish but all other marine organisms. If you can join the campaign so the government will do something to fight these people, then do it.

Clean your own homes

Be responsible in disposing your own waste. If you hire a waste disposal company, make sure that you know where they are throwing the items they collect from you. If they will just throw the items in the open waters, then don’t hire them. You should also learn how to recycle. For instance, you can cut plastic bottles open and use them as pots for plants. You can also use a knife to make decorative art out of these recycled materials. Of course you need a sharp knife to get the job done. Hence, if you wish to buy the best knife sharpener, you can go to Knife&Sharpener HQ. On the other hand, if you want an environment-friendly top rate sharpening oil for the knives, go for it.

Hopefully, things will be better again once everyone starts doing his or her own share.

The Gulf Coast has always been a great place for water sports: boating, swimming, snorkelling… you name it. It is good again and was even good in most places soon after the spill but public perception and bad press is hard to change. People just aren’t interested in hearing how nice things are; that is just, well… boring. Generally speaking we are attracted to drama and disaster like oil spills and hurricanes, not happy family vacations and perfect romantic holidays. Look at what entertains us on TV: violence, discord, sports (yes, that’s why we never tire of it: competition and conflict), dire warnings from news programs, and hurricanes on the weather channel to name a few things. The armageddon-like stories are the main things that remain in our minds when we think of the Gulf of Mexico even five years later.

For example, this writer’s friends from West Virginia were thinking of coming here recently to do a paddle boarding vacation. They have the best stand-up paddle board (or SUP) you can buy and all the safety gear they need: personal floatation device, tether, fixed-blade safety knife, powerful whistle, both dry suits and wet suits, etcetera, but they are just not sure the area is okay. They envision oil-caked beaches and dying seabirds covering any shoreline, and workers in hazmat suits picking through blackened marshes. In their mind’s eye they see a gray pall of toxic smoke blotting out the sun. People who live here know that that couldn’t be farther from the truth, but how can you convince someone one thousand miles away? It is not hard if you know the people personally and they trust you. But obviously not everyone knows someone who lives here. Hopefully the people who do will spread the news once they are back home, and gradually news will spread through the social grapevine.

Florida, Texas and Louisiana need to get together to promote the area again in an advertising blitz. It has been five years since the disaster and the BP problems are fading from the general population’s minds. It is time to reboot tourism in the area and a tri-state coalition could do wonders towards that end. Though there are lingering problems from the spill they are not such that tourists will be affected and reassurance is needed to bring home that fact. Of course any public relations efforts along those lines needs to be very sensitively done and not seen to be glossing over hard truths: acknowledgement of the spill seems wise, then reassurance. My friends, for instance, were itching to get here after our conversation. They were reassured that all is well and that what problems there are have been minimized.

In a few years time, when memories have faded and public relations efforts have borne fruit, we are likely to see a rebound back to pre-BP levels of tourism. In the mean time it is best to stay positive and to have staycations somewhere along our amazing coast line to boost our local economies and boost our spirits.

When you want to sell something, you have to open up to the idea of selling it online.

There are a lot of marketing strategies being employed in order to sell antiaging products. Sadly, most of them are so traditional and are no longer effective. For instance, there are those who will send employees to go to the mall and give free samples. They also setup booth in order to attract people to know more about the product. Sadly, these strategies are no longer effective. In fact, they don’t do anything to market the product at all. To begin with, it is much localized. The people who know about the products are only those who live in the local area. Most of those who are not reached by this kind of advertising won’t be able to know about what the product is all about.

Even other traditional marketing methods such as posters and billboards don’t work. To begin with, they are costly. You also have to go through a lot of processes just to have your posters go up there. This also does not guarantee anything in return. If you have a beautiful model selling the antiaging product, then people will find it interesting. However, they might be more interested in seeing a beautiful model rather than actually knowing what the product is all about.

Going online is better

The thing about online marketing is that it is less expensive, but more effective. A lot of companies go online these days to advertise something. They have found out just how effective it is. Even giants in the world of business turn to online marketing as well. The immense effects are so vast that everyone thinks it is effective. Why not? Let’s take for example the power of social media such as Facebook. When you advertise using this site and you have hundreds of friends, you already market the product to these people right away. If they share what you have posted, there is a tendency for a few more hundreds to see what you have shared. This can go on and on.

The same thing is true when you host a blog. People look for interesting contents that they can read about. If you happen to give them something interesting, they will keep on following your blogs. If the blogs contain links to your website where they can buy your products, then it is really effective. The best part is that you don’t even have to spend a dime. Facebook is free. Many other marketing outlets such as article directories are free. Advertising can go on for 24 hours. Even if you are asleep, your antiaging product is being promoted. Most of all, it can be seen by technically just about anyone.

Check successful products

If you want to know just how successful online marketing is, then read about lifecell anti aging cream review from this site. This product became more appealing after people learned about it online. The same thing is true for a company that deals with toddlers. They were able to market a product about talking to toddlers which you can check here. Whatever product it is that you wish to promote, doing everything online will always be the most effective way.

From its scenic lakes and beautiful forests to its breathtaking sandy shores, Louisiana’s natural areas has an everlasting glow no hunter will ever forget. Louisiana is popular for its lakes, bayous, river, hills, and vast woodlands. It’s also known for its rich hunting ground which can range anywhere from wild birds and land animals to fishes. Seasonal deer, waterfowl, and small game hunting as well as year-round fishing are permitted. Some of these areas were affected during and after the oil spill, and thankfully not everything has gone bad. This has not affected the hunting too much, though some species should probably be avoided for a bit.

While under 10% of Louisiana’s land is owned by the public, more than 2 million acres of hunting land is available. Louisiana has miles of coastal areas and shorelines that boast some of the country’s top fisheries. Unfortunately, many of these were affected by the oil spill and not all of them have opened up again yet.

Maureps Swamp Wildlife Management Area
With 103,263 acres of land
Bass and beam fishing
Deer, turkey, and small-game available for hunting
Nutria and alligator trapping allowed (with permit)
This is another great area, and since they allow deer here, you may need to bring along a rangefinder so that you can be sure of the distance you are shooting. Though this area was initially one of the hardest hit by the oil spill it has come back nicely and is just as good as it was before the macondo well blew up.

Bodcau Wildlife Management Area
With 34,355 acres of land
Bass and bream fishing found at the Bodcau Bayou and Ivan Lake
Deer available for hunting
This area is still closed to the public because of the spill

Atchafalaya Delta Wildlife Management Area
With 137,000 acres of land
Can be accessed by boat
Redfish and waterfowl available for hunting
This area was affected by the spill, but has since recovered nicely.

Jackson Bienville Wildlife Management Area
With 25,089 acres of land
ATV trails present
Deer, quail, turkey, and small-game available for hunting
This area is upstate, and was not affected by the oil spill.

The Bayou Cocodrie National Wildlife Refuge

The Bayou Cocodrie National Wildlife Refuge is deemed to be the least disturbed forest land in the area. This refuge is sprawled over 11,000 acres of land and has been in protection since 1992. Its Cocodrie Bayou, which runs through central refuge, is said to be one of scenic rivers in Louisiana. At present, the refuge is managed and operated by several staff members. It receives an average of 5,000 visitors each year.

The area deploys special hunts all through throughout the year. The management has placed emphasis on controlling its wild feral hogs. All hunts are regulated and the area implements strict rules and regulations. Hunters who are over 16 years of age are required to carry a hunting license and permit. This area was not affected by the oil spill

It’s good to understand rules and regulations in all wildlife management areas in Louisiana, so you can ensure they are strictly followed. Most Louisiana hunting grounds have hunting hours and should be complied with at all times. This is applicable to all hunters except for those who hunt raccoon and opossum in certain areas where extended hours are permitted. Many of these areas were able to avoid the oil spill, though some were not. The ones that did get damaged a bit were able to fully recover though.

After the gulf oil spill, many of the residents of gulf communities wondered how their businesses and livelihoods would be affected. People have lived there for many years, and the gulf has always been an important source of income, from fishing and shrimping to oil and many other uses.

After the oil spill, it was unclear what would happen to the local fisheries and fishermen that worked them. Would the fish come back? Did the oil kill them all during the spill, or will the fish be somehow deformed if/when they are caught in the future? With the help of my friend Suzy of CulinaryDreaming.com we went down, chatted with locals, scientists and others about which fish were safe to eat after the spill, and which fish should be avoided. Since she runs a website about teaching people how to get into the culinary industry, we did a lot of taste testing as well.

Here are some of the best tasting fish that we were able to try, and we are happy to report that populations of all the following fish have recovered well post-spill.

• White Trout
This species are cousins of the well-known and highly sought after speckled trout. The white trout is silver in color with a hue of lavender across its shoulders. The fish is typically small, with a 2-pounder already considered a big catch. Initially thought to be very damaged, population numbers have looked good in post-spill monitoring.

• Whiting
This fish is a bottom-scavenger species that fills up a lot of fish fries. It has a tiny “down-turn” which means smaller hooks are required to catching this fish. A whiting flesh is said to be tasty and firm. It also freezes nicely. This is helpful if you intend to make another trip or two for gathering enough fish to fry. This species was mostly able to avoid the casualties of the spill due to its bottom feeding nature.

• Sheepshead
This fish is typically thrown back to the water by most anglers. It’s known of its “chopper” teeth and is frequently observed nibbling on barnacles. Sheepshead can be prepared in a number of ways. Its meat often imitates that of crab meat. Simply cut out its red meat from the filets and have it boiled (or until it has that flaky appearance) and get the meat to cool. You can then use it as a crabmeat substitute for any dish that requires it. This is one of my favorite fish, and we really enjoyed eating it. We had the opportunity to take a class on how to prepare this stuff – Suzy said it felt like she was back in culinary school again, wanting to become the best. Sheepshead had a few problems initially after the spill, but are coming back – even if it is a bit slow for some people.

• Black Drum
A typical angler would cringe at the thought of a black drum. While it’s true that these crab eaters don’t have a lot of appeal at the dinner table, it’s their puppy drum that will surprise everyone. A puppy drum is basically a black drum weighing under 10 pounds. These smaller species are typically caught with redfish. According to numerous anglers, they have a similar texture and taste to that of redfish. Some anglers prefer having black drum over redfish. The black drum was one of our favorites, and also one of the most affected fish from the spill.

• Croaker
This small fish is notorious for stealing bait. Croakers are widespread in the Gulf of Mexico. The taste of a Croaker is within the same level as that of a speckled trout. One huge downer with croakers is the number of small bones that many need to be dealt with. When catching croakers weighing over a pound, immediately place them inside a cooler. These species are said to be tasty when fried. Croakers lost some pretty big numbers in the spill, but there were quite a few of them before the spill and they seem to be coming back nicely.

Even though the spill was a terrible tragedy and did a lot of damage to many different species, 6 years later many have recovered and while lasting effects are unknown at this time, things look pretty good now.

Right after the 2010 Oil Spill, it was almost impossible for people living near the Mexican Gulf to live a normal life. In fact, the repercussion of this disaster was felt all around the world. The oil spill was too massive and it has affected millions of people and killed a massive number of marine lives. If only we could turn back the time and stop this disaster from happening, but sadly, this has already taken place and we have all been affected in many ways.

The good thing is that those who became direct victims of the disaster have started picking themselves up and started their lives all over again. Yes, it can’t be the same again, but at least they have already found a way to make their lives better again. On the other hand, there are those who have just given up. They decided to move to another place not just because of health reasons, but also because they don’t have sources of livelihood anymore.

Picking up the pieces

After the disaster, international efforts to absorb the spilled oil were very fast. However, due to the extent of the spill, it became impossible to have everything done so quickly. While the efforts to save the environment were quick, the people who have been affected were even quicker. Those who have lived in areas that used to be tourist hotspots tried to find other ways to promote their places. They have also found other means of livelihood – those that do not rely on the sea.

Since then, they have sent their kids back to school in hopes that they would save the future of the family. There are also those victims of the incident who continue their legal battle, as they deserve to be paid.

For those who were not totally devastated because of this incident, in just 5 years, they were able to turn things around. They have already relocated and found a better home. There are those who have their own families already and tried to live life as normally as they could. They did not dwell on the fact that the disaster has changed their lives forever. They also did not wait for help from other people to bring them back up.

Things can go back to the way they were

If there is one thing that those people who have picked themselves up from pieces can prove, it is the fact that no amount of disaster can shutter humanity. Their ability to start all over again is something worth admiring. They have their new livelihood, good family and some have even become parents since then. There are those who have decided to live healthily and change their lifestyle altogether. There are also those who started to exercise with their babies using the best jogging stroller as those seen at http://www.toddlervirtues.com/best-jogging-strollers/. Looking at them now, you can never imagine that they were once hit by something as devastating as an oil spill. If you see them walking around using the double jogging stroller from this site with their babies, you will be truly amazed. Yes, the extent of the oil spill damage is beyond imagination, but how people turned everything around is such an inspiration.

In recent years, global warming has taken a new dimension impacting almost every sector of human life. It is for this reason that you should take a personal initiative to counter the effects of this menace. Note that this has taken years to see the negative results, and so there is no quick fix for this particular problem. However, the good news is that you can always be part of the green movement. With your contribution, you can always make the earth a better place to live. The next generation should be glad that their forefathers did something that changed the face of the earth.

Firstly, you need to understand what really causes global warming. This is important as you will be able to know how to counter its effects on the climate. Even though climate change patterns happen over thousands of years, one thing that scientists have proven is that increased carbon dioxide has been a contributing factor to global warming. They have pointed out that greenhouse emissions are the number one cause of this problem.

There are other factors that contribute to global warming and these includes the release of combustion of fossil fuels. Also, the release of methane in and around landfills, fertilizers that release nitrous oxide, and the industrial processes. Flatulence in cattle has been a contributing factor to global warming also. Also some of the gases used in refrigeration contribute to global warming. Overall, human activity has contributed immensely to changes in climate. As a matter of fact, if the mentioned activities can be reduced substantially, then the climate patterns would change for the better.

It is your responsibility to at least ensure that you are doing something to change this trend that is utterly destroying the world. On a personal level, you can limit a lot of pollution that you emit if you pay attention to how you are affecting your environment. Remember, when you pollute the environment, you are causing damage to yourself and the coming generation. You can drive more energy efficient cars, as well as build energy efficient homes. Above all, you can volunteer for an organization that informs, warns, and offers ways to counter these effects.

The best way to go about this is to have a great website that explicitly explains effects of global warming and ensure that it is mobile in nature. You can take advantage of professional services around the world to have a well-designed website. In order to benefit more, see to it that you contract out a company that offers Gadsden SEO services. You will be able to tell the world about the importance of recycling materials, changing the type of bulbs you use in your home, as well as, why they need to buy energy efficient products. It is all about informing the public to engage in a course that will save generations.

Everybody knows pollution in all its forms eventually affects human existence. Water pollution, which eventually goes to the seas and oceans, threaten human life and every other living organism on the planet.

The following important water pollution facts highlight the seriousness of the pollution problem that affects the world’s oceans:

The oceans become a dumping site for 14 billion pounds of garbage, mostly made of plastics, every year.

In 2011, around 2 million gallons of water affected by radioactivity have been dumped to the sea after Japan pumped water into its failing earthquake and tsunami-hit nuclear reactors.

India’s iconic but highly polluted Ganges River is a source of ocean pollution.

80% of the water pollution in the world is attributed to domestic sources and almost nothing has been done to address this.

US waters are polluted by 1.2 trillion gallons of storm water, industrial waste, and untreated sewage.

Cruise ships contribute 200,000 gallons of sewage to ocean pollution along with 35,000 gallons of oil spill contamination every year.

Human-Caused Pollution

Not many realize how humans contribute to their own destruction by being the primary source of pollution worldwide. While many seek to address such problems as medical negligence as it affects the lives of people who avail of medical services, not many realize that very little effort is exerted to address the pollution in the world’s oceans and other bodies of water.

It can be said that, at least, on the Internet the opportunity to educate people about the dangers of pollution is equal. There are many websites that raise awareness on the issue. If you can find medical malpractice sites like this, presented by a reputable website like Forbes, you can also easily find credible ocean pollution resources online like the ones presented on the UNESCO site and on various official .edu and .gov websites.

How Humans Are Affected by Human Pollution

Ocean pollution’s effect on humans indirectly but in a serious way. It destroys the marine life from which humans derive many benefits. It affects the population of fish that form part of human diet. It can cause harmful algal blooms or red tides that massively annihilates life in the seas and oceans. If the fish that swim on dirty waters happen to survive, they can be contaminated by various pollutants that are passed on to humans.

More than half of the world’s population live near seas and oceans and rely on them for their livelihood or sustenance. Pollution is sure to affect them. The benefits people get from the ocean are not limited to food. There’s an industry that relies on the beauty of the ocean for recreational pursuits. The destruction of corals and exotic fish populations will destroy diving spots that are used for tourism. Dirty seas will diminish the appeal of seaside restaurants, hotels, and resorts. Moreover, the extinction of certain marine species entail an indirect and gradual adverse consequence on human life.

Ocean pollution is not only a bane to marine life. It can affect many other living things on earth, the human population in particular. It’s only logical to do relentlessly and more aggressively do something about it.

The effects of the 2010 BP oil spill were witnessed by all of us and we all saw what exactly happened. It affected a lot of people in many ways causing more jobs and work needed to clean up the massive amount of oil. It affected people’s health, tourism, marine life and more. The effects are still there and there was no easy fix to it. A lot of people’s lives have been affected and a lot of people will be affected in the future, this includes the 11 casualties that occurred during the crisis. A total of 210 million gallons of oil spilled out which caused a lot of problems. There were a lot of different locations that had to have cleanup crews deployed to cleanup oil residue on beaches. This was in locations such as Louisiana, Florida and more.

It reminds me of when my family experienced severe flooding at our home. Everything was damaged and it was a massive clean-up effort by trained and experienced flood specialists. This is how the oil spill was. They couldn’t just take anyone and try to clean this mess up. They had to take the people that are trained in oil clean-up or it could have been even worse.

The spill caused a number of health consequences and problems. Some were by workers of the cleanup effort and others were by residents living in places that were affected. Scientists estimate that the health crisis would last at least five years. There were problems such as eye, nose and throat irritation, respiratory problems, seizures, vomiting, muscle damage and more. Dispersants were added to the oil but they were said to make the oil more toxic. The spill was home to over 8332 different species of fish, birds, molluscs and more. Long term damage may not be seen for years. Oil affected a lot of animals including birds who lost buoyancy and abilities to regulate body temperature, decreasing populations and an unbalanced food web. This was not only in areas close to the spill but miles out. It was later found that animals fled the areas in search for food and shelter.

The effects hit hard in an economic way costing billions and affected sectors such as drilling, fishing and tourism. It also cost BP billions of dollars not only in costs from the spill and fines but also gas stations reported sales losses due to a backlash against the company. The NOAA had to close over 86,000 square miles of federal waters in the Gulf of Mexico costing $2.5 Billion for the fishing industry. Overall the BP oil spill was a huge mess and controversy that caused a lot of problems for a lot of people. It changed lives and it changed the world. It has caused financial and other problems for a lot of people and companies. The effects are still being seen now and some may still be around for years to come. There will always be the chance of a spill like this. We are moving toward more sustainable energy but there will always be oil and the possibility of another spill. This is the world we live in now. We have to accept it and live with the consequences.

Numerous studies have found that the oil spill continues to have a huge impact on the wildlife that lives in the Gulf of Mexico. While BP vehemently argues against the findings, it is easy to see that oil still remains on several beaches along the gulf and that the animals living there have changed drastically since the spill. Islands once bursting with life are still devoid of the life that once flourished there. But not only is there very little wildlife that can be found, those islands are quickly eroding due to the oil that remains on its beaches since the trees that used to anchor the sand with their roots are no longer growing as they once were. (more…)

In 2010, it took the government several days to respond to the news of the leak in the oil well. When the initial belief that the well had not been damaged in the explosion proved to be incorrect, the Obama Administration took steps to clean up the mess. Just a few days after the leak, the situation worsened when BP executives reported 1,000 barrels of crude oil leaking into the ocean and disturbing the marine ecology. But the situation was much more dire than anyone knew. BP executives had lied about the 1,000 barrel figure – in fact, American scientists examining the damage estimated that 5,000 barrels were being emptied into the ocean. (more…)